Bobbin carton



June 28, 1966 A. w. GOERKE BOBBIN CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1962 INVENTOR: ARTHUR W 50mm.

ATTYS'.

June 28, 1966 A. w. GOERKE BOBBIN CARTON 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 24, 1962 P? F i 1 L INVENTOR: A]; THUR W. 502mm.

United States Patent ware Filed Dec. 24, I962, Ser. No. 246,785 4 Claims. (Cl. 2(l665) This invention relates to cartons and trays associated therewith for the transport of textile bobbins and the like.

More particularly it deals with cartons and trays for transporting textile bob-bins wherein the trays are provided with bobbin supporting fingers whereby the bobbins may be retained in predetermined spaced apart relation in the carton.

'Heretofore, bobbins of textile fibers and yarns have been individually wrapped, and at times even individually boxed for shipment in cartons, crates, or other means of transport. Such a manner of handling is unsatisfactory for the reason that the textile fibers lying at the surface of each bobbin may become damaged due to even the mildly abrasive action encountered with ordinary materials during use for primarily the protection of the bobbins.

It is an object of this invention to produce an efficient, simple, effective, economic, inexpensive and reusable carton and trays associated therewith for the collection, transport, and delivery of bobbins of textile fibers.

It is another object of this invention to produce a tray for carrying textile bobbins, wherein the tray is provided with fingers adapted to receive one end of a bobbin and frictionally support the bobbin in upstanding position on the tray without humanly or materially contacting the fibers carried on the bobbins.

It is another object of this invention to produce a tray for carrying textile bobbins which may be constructed of laminar plies of semi-rigid material having push-out tabs formed therein adapted to be formed into fingers for supporting the bobbins.

It is another object to provide a laminar tray for carrying textile bobbins comprising slotted tabs which may be intercalated to form Y-shaped cross-sectional structures adapted to fit frictionally within the openings at the ends of the bobbins and act as support therefor.

It is another object to provide an auxiliary guard member or panel adapted to keep in alignment the upper ends of the bobbins in standing position on the tray and to help maintain the bobbins in erect position thereon.

It is another object to provide a carton adapted to fit a tray or trays loaded with bobbins, and to protect the bobbins and textile fibers wound thereon against damage.

It is another to provide a carton adapted to contain a group of stacked trays of bobbins in snug fitting arrangement therein which will provide a relatively stationary support for the bobbins and to aid in preventing damage to the fibers wound thereon.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the manner in which loaded trays with bobbins carried in spaced apart relation thereon may be packed inside a carton for shipment or storage or other handling condition;

FIGURE 2 is a view partially in cross-section of a portion of the bobbin carrying means showing the arrangement of adjacent supporting trays and the manner in which the bobbins are carried thereby;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of a section of one of the trays and illustrates the manner in which certain punch-out portions cooperate to form locating and supporting fingers for the lower ends of the bobbins;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the trays or tray units in the process of being assembled into bobbin supporting form;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a sheet of cardboard or similar semi-rigid material to form a part of a tray with punch-out portions and hand-hold notches shown thereon;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the sheet of cardboard shown in FIGURE 5, with some of the punch-out portions extending outwardly to bobbin engaging position;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a sheet of cardboard adapted to cooperate with the sheet shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 to form a bobbin carrying tray as indicated in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view of the sheet of cardboard indicated in FIGURE 7 and showing the punchout portions extending outwardly to bobbin engaging position;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of an auxiliary panel element comprising a sheet of cardboard or similar material having openings therein adapted to maintain the upper ends of the bobbins in predetermined spaced apart arrangement;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevational view of the panel illustrated in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of an assembled carton with trays of bobbins loaded therein, and;

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional plan view of the arrangement of trays and bobbins carried thereon as shown in FIGURE 11.

With reference to FIGURE 1, there is shown a carton 14 comprising telescopic lower and upper box sections 16, 18, respectively, the box sections being formed preferably by scoring and folding corrugated paper sheeting or cardboard in a Well known manner. The box sections I6, 18 may be provided with a plurality of cooperating end flaps 2d, 22, adapted to be folded inwardly upon each other to form end closures for the sections. Adhesive tape 24 may be applied to the edges of the flaps 20, 22, to secure the flaps in end closing position on the box sections 16, 18. Side seams (not shown) in the box sections may likewise be joined by taping or other means to form a substantially rigid carton construction.

According to this invention, the box sections 16, 18, may be adapted for the shipment of textile fibers and the like, and for this purpose, there may be provided a plurality of trays 26, 26', upon which spools or bobbins 28 having yarn or textile fibers 3t wound thereon, may be carried (FIGURES 1, 2). The bobbins 28 may be arranged in a predetermined spaced apart relation on the trays 26 and supported thereby in a stacked manner to be more fully described hereinafter. This arrangement provides a relatively immobile or stationary support for the bobbins on the trays and thereby maintains the bobbins 2% and the fibers 30 wound thereon in relatively isolated and spaced apart position-s within the carton. The box sections 116, 13, may be constructed in a manner to provide a snug fit around the stacked trays to substantially eliminate relative movement of the bobbins within the carton and thus prevent damage to the fibers wound thereon.

The carton 14, when properly loaded with the trays 26 and bobbins 23 carried thereon, may be firmly bound or sealed by applying strips of adhesive tape 34 or other suitable material to the sides of or circumferentially around the carton according to the arrangement shown on the drawing, in a manner to at least partially compress the stacked trays and bobbins carried thereon downwardly between the bottom and top end closures of the box sections 16, I8, to maintain the relatively stationary positions of the bobbins and trays within the carton. The comparative rigidity resulting from the construction described above, provides a useful, novel, and reliable means for handling, shipping, or transporting textile bobbins and the yarns or fibers wound thereon.

Referring to FIGURES 3 to 8 of the drawings, there is shown an arrangement for the construction of the trays 26 for supporting the bobbins 28. The tray 26 comprises a plurality of leaves or plies 36, 38, 40, which, when assembled together, have cooperative engagement with each other to provide a mutually reinforced semi-rigid platform 42 (see FIGURES 1 and 4)., The tray 26 comprises a plurality of upstanding stems or fingers 44 arranged in a predetermined spaced apart relation, each of which is adapted to receive one end of a textile bobbin 28 in frictional engagement therewith in a manner to maintain the bobbins in normally erect and substantially stationary posit-ions relative to the surface of the platform 42.

In the arrangement disclosed herein, the leaves or plies 36, 40 may be formed from a cut sheet or blank 46 of corrugated paper board having the corrugations therein lying in an up-and-down direction as indicated by vertical arrows 48 in the drawing. Notches 50 may be provided at selected intervals along the edge of the blank to facilitate handling of the trays 26 during loading and unloading of the bobbins, and more particularly when filling and emptying the cartons. Score lines 52 may be provided to facilitate doubling back the leaves 36, 46 to form a portion of the reinforced construction stated above (see FIGURE 4) and also to provide sufficient space for the interposition Otf the intermediate leaf or ply 33. The leaf 38 may be formed from a cut sheet or blank 54 of corrugated paper board having the corrugations therein lying in a direction as indicated by horizontal arrows 56. Notches 58 may be provided along the edges of the blank 54 in a manner to correspond with the spacing of the notches 50 in the blank 46, both groups of notches 50, 58, being brought into substantial alignment when assembling the parts to form a tray. The several plies 36, 38, 40 may be arranged so that the corrugations of'adjacent plies will lie in alternating vertical and horizontal directions to form a reinforcing grid pattern within the structure of the tray and thus provide a firm, stable platform to support the bobbins.

The stems 44 may be formed in a novel manner by providing a plurality of interfitting push-out elements in the plies 36, 38. The leaf 36 may be provided with slits 60 and score lines 62 to form generally U-shaped tabs 64 which may be folded outwardly to a position 64 perpendicular to the surface of the leaf 36 (see FIGURE 6). Slots 66 may be provided in the leaf 36 to accommodate a plurality of push-out elements formed in the leaf 38, the latter elements being adapted to slide upwardly into the slots 66 and be anchored therein. The leaf 38 may be provided with slits 68' and score lines in to form generally U-shaped tabs 72 adapted to be folded outwardly to a position 72' generally perpendicular to the surface of the leaf 38 (see FIGURE 8). The tabs 72 may be provided with notches 74 adapted to cooperate with the slots 66 in the tabs 64 and be locked into engagement therewith to form the stems 44 on the platform 42. For

'this purpose, the leaf or ply 36 with its tabs 64 extending outwardly to their erect positions 64 may be superimposed upon the leaf or ply 38 with its tabs 72 also extending outwardly to their correspondingly erect positions 72', and the tabs 72 may be brought upwardly through the slots 66 into engagement with the remote parts 76 of the tabs 64 and be locked against lateral movement therewith (see FIGURE 4). Staples 77 or other fastening devices may be applied to the edge or edges of the assembled plies to maintain each tray in compact arrangement and semi-rigid form.

With particular attention to FIGURES 3, 4, 12, it may be seen that the tabs 64, 72, in their folded out positions, are arranged at 90 degrees with each other in the plies 36, 38, respectively in order to form an X-shaped crosssectional structure for the fingers 44 upon completion of their intercalation during assembly of the tray. The dimensions of the tabs are made such that their width will fit frictionally within the openings at the ends of the bobbins, and their length is such that the bobbins will be held substantially immobile and without undue wobble on the fingers 44 thus formed.

The blank 46 comprising the leaf 40 may have formed thereon a plurality of hole-s or openings 78 adapted to facilitate the stacking of a plurality of trays and bobbins 26, 28, respectively, thereon in one-above-another formation (see FIGURE 2) in a manner to expedite the collection of the bobbins from winding machines (not shown) or other devices well known in theart and maintaining the bobbins in spaced apart relation either before, during, or after the placement of the trays 26 into the cartons 14.

The holes 78 may be of slightly larger size than the ends of the bobbins 28 and may serve as guides for quick and accurate placement of one tray 26 and bobbins 28' above another tray 26 with bobbins 28 therebeneath. The bobbins 28, in upstanding position on the lower tray, may be collectively guided into the holes 78 appearing on the underside of the superimposed tray 26 (see FIG- URE 2), the leaf or ply 38 providing a stop or contact with the upper ends 80 of the bobbins 28. With this construction, several tiers or courses of trays and bobbins thereon may be stacked with relative safety and in a manner to prevent undue lateral movement of the bobbins and consequent damage to the fibers Wound thereon.

In addition to the features described above, and to further assist in preventing undue sway or wobble of the trays and bobbins 26, 28, respectively, there may be provided a panel or auxiliary sheet 82 of corrugated paper board or other suitable material having a plurality of holes or openings 84 therein adapted to fit over and around the upper ends 30 of the bobbins in a manner to collectively stabilize the bobbins 28 on the trays 26, and thereby help to maintain the desired clearances be tween the fibers being carried on the trays. The panel 82 may be of sufficient size to embrace adjacent pairs or sets of trays and thereby increase the stability of the conformation (see FIGURES '11, 12).

In order that the panel 82 may be prevented from resting directly on the turns of fibers 30 which usually are wound in a particular locale on the bobbins (see FIGURE 2) there may be provided a shoulder 86 or other positioning means on the bobbin in the vicinity of the fibers and against which the panel 82 may rest. Accordingly, a sufiicient space may be maintained below the bottom face of the panel 82 and the fibers 30 to prevent contact therewith and to preclude snagging or abrasive or other damage to the fibers. Notches 88 may be provided to facilitate handling of the panel 82.

With further reference to FIGURES 11, 12, there is disclosed an arrangement whereby a plurality of adjacent sets or pairs of trays 26", bobbins 28 with fibers 30 thereon, together with the auxiliary panels 82, may be stacked and packed with a carton 14' for storage, transport or other form of handling. For this arrangement, the auxiliary panels 82 may be placed upon the bobbins of adjacent trays, in a manner to collectively stabilize the bobbins within the carton 14'. It is apparent that the boundaries of the panels 82 and of the pairs of trays 26" should conform substantially to the boundaries of the interior configuration of the carton in order to effectually facilitate packing of the trays and panels within the carton.

It is to be noted that other arrangements and modifications may be devised in accordance with variations in length and other dimensions of the bobbins, the weight and other characteristics of the fibers wound thereon, the spacing required for safe handling, besides adaptations of carton sizes, standardization of tray sizes and considerations regarding shipping regulations. Furthermore, the present disclosure contemplates repeated reuse, reshipping and storage of the full or empty bobbins and trays in an orderly and protective manner.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made by way of example only and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a carton for containing a plurality of hollow textile bobbins in upstanding multilayered stacked formation, a plurality Olf trays for support of dividual layers of groups of bobbins, at least one of said trays comprising: a base element comprising a plurality of .plies of cardboard, cut-out tab portions associated with two uppermost plies and extending normally away from said plies, the tabs of one p'ly having sl-ots therein, the tabs of another ply being adapted for insertion into said slots and transversely therewith in criss-cross arrangement to form fingers projecting upwardly from said base, and a third ply underlying said first and second plies, said third ply having apertures therein correspondingly located immediately beneath said fingers, said apertures being adapted to -fit over the ends of bobbins in an underlying layer while the tray and fingers thereon support bobbins in an over- 'lying layer, said bobbins in the stacked layers being thereby maintained in colinear axial alignment in the carton.

2. A tray for carrying a plurality of open end textile bobbins in upstanding relation in a multi-layered carton comprising a base element of three coextensive plies of cardboard, each of the top two plies having cut-out tab portions adapted to being bent at right angles to the plane of their respective plies, the tabs of the top ply having slots therein, the tabs of the second ply being inserted through said slots and cut-out openings for the tabs of the top ply and being interlocked thereby in crossed relation with respective tabs of said top ply to form fingers projecting upwardly from said top ply, said interlocking tabs having a width dimension corresponding to the interior dimensions of the open ends of said bobbins and engaging said open ends in snug fit relation on said top ply, the third ply of said tray having apertures correspond ing generally in dimension and configuration to the exterior of the upper end of each of said bobbins for reception in snug fit relation of upper ends of an underlying layer of said bobbins to facilitate desired registry therewith.

3. A tray according to claim 2 wherein the apertures in the third ply are aligned immediately below the fingers projecting from said overlaying ply, said apertures being adapted to facilitate colinear alignment of said fingers on said overlying ply with said bobbins on said underlying layer to effect colinear alignment of longitudinal axes of the bobbins in supported relation on said overlying ply with said bobbins on said underlying layer.

4. A support and stacking tray for transporting apertured articles in stacked relation and in relatively stationary lateral spaced apart relation comprising a planar member providing an upper ply folded over to form an underply, a second ply interjacent said first ply and underply, a first group of cut-out tabs integral with and extending upward from said upper ply member, a second group of cut-out tabs integral with an extending upward from said interjacent ply through the openings in said upper ply formed by the tabs of said upper ply, said first and second tabs being adapted to transverse interoalation to form fingers extending upward from said tray and being of dimension to permit snug fit frictional engagement of said fingers with the apertures in said articles, the underlying ply having a group of apertures centered directly under said finger configurations dorrning recesses to receive the upper end of underlying articles in snug fit relation.

References fitted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,829,942 11/1931 Pettibone 206- 1,889,933 12/1932 Pratt 20652 2,332,192 10/1943 Becker 20645.16 2,332,635 10/1943 Holmes 20645.19

2,642,183 6/ 1953 Prossen 20665 2,699,866 1/1955 Russell 20665 2,818,974 1/ 1958 Talbot 206-65 2,975,892 3/1961 Leavitt 20665 3,094,211 6/1963 Bender 20665 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CARTON FOR CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW TEXTILE BOBBINS IN UPSTANDING MULTILAYERED STACKED FORMATION, A PLURALITY OF TRAYS FOR SUPPORT OF DIVIDUAL LAYERS OF GROUPS OF BOBBINS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TRAYS COMPRISING: A BASE ELEMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PILES OF CARDBOARD, CUT-OUT TAB PORTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TWO UPPERMOST PLIES AND EXTENDING NORMALLY AWAY FROM SAID PLIES, THE TABS OF ONE PLY HAVING SLOTS THEREIN, THE TABS OF ANOTHER PLY BEING ADAPTED FOR INSERTION INTO SAID SLOTS AND TRANSVERSELY THEREWITH IN CRISS-CROSS ARRANGEMENT TO FORM FINGERS PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE, AND A THIRD PLY UNDERLYING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLIES, SAID THIRD PLY HAVING APERTURES THEREIN CORRESPONDINGLY LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BENEATH SAID FINGERS, SAID APERTURES BEING ADAPTED TO FIT OVER THE ENDS OF BOBBINS IN AN UNDERLYING LAYER WHILE THE TRAY AND FINGERS THEREON SUPPORT BOBBINS IN AN OVERLYING LAYER, SAID BOBBINS IN THE STACKED LAYERS BEING THEREBY MAINTAINED IN COLINEAR AXIAL ALIGNMENT IN THE CARTON. 